Michael Farkas
Grace Personified
- Starting the comparison with the best from their group against the self-appointed "worst major-professional hockey team in...history" is definitely a major win for my point of view. That requires no follow-up whatsoever.
- Yes, some WHA players had no trouble at all. Some of their success was irrespective of the league (the Oilers contingent for instance) Similarly, numerous AHL players had no trouble at all. Eddie Joyal (who then faded out of the NHL, but reclaimed being a 20-goal scorer in his mid 30's when dumped into the WHA), Wayne Connelly (from WHL...kicked around towards the end of his NHL run, dumped into the WHA and immediately became a 40 goal scorer past his prime), Red Berenson, Ray Cullen, Mike McMahon on defense, an example of a player who jumped out of the AHL into the NHL, got swallowed under my an improving/adjusting league, got spit out in the WHA and resumed being a top pairing player in a weaker league...list goes on. So it's very possible as the AHL was just a regular minor league, but still players emerged. Players at the end of their leash had careers extended by the less rigurous, loosey-goosey WHA style...
- See already-made analogy about Russian vs North American junior hockey. Some top-end WHA teams that bought a top-six and a top-four and had good coaching could compete. Team A can beat Team B in a pinch. Does little for the stature of the league as a whole...otherwise, one might suggest the University of Minnesota could have competed in the Russian Super League in the early 80s...
- Yes, some WHA players had no trouble at all. Some of their success was irrespective of the league (the Oilers contingent for instance) Similarly, numerous AHL players had no trouble at all. Eddie Joyal (who then faded out of the NHL, but reclaimed being a 20-goal scorer in his mid 30's when dumped into the WHA), Wayne Connelly (from WHL...kicked around towards the end of his NHL run, dumped into the WHA and immediately became a 40 goal scorer past his prime), Red Berenson, Ray Cullen, Mike McMahon on defense, an example of a player who jumped out of the AHL into the NHL, got swallowed under my an improving/adjusting league, got spit out in the WHA and resumed being a top pairing player in a weaker league...list goes on. So it's very possible as the AHL was just a regular minor league, but still players emerged. Players at the end of their leash had careers extended by the less rigurous, loosey-goosey WHA style...
- See already-made analogy about Russian vs North American junior hockey. Some top-end WHA teams that bought a top-six and a top-four and had good coaching could compete. Team A can beat Team B in a pinch. Does little for the stature of the league as a whole...otherwise, one might suggest the University of Minnesota could have competed in the Russian Super League in the early 80s...